Bond urged to change course on health care

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HEU calls on new health services minister to support independent audit of hospital cleaning

B.C.’s largest health care union is hoping the province’s new health services minister, Shirley Bond, will take government health care policy in a different direction.

“Minister Bond has a massive challenge in front of her,” says Hospital Employees’ Union acting secretary-business manager Zorica Bosancic.

“Her government has privatized critical health services, cut back on seniors’ care and closed hospitals. More than 8,000 health care workers have been laid off and thousands more have had their wages slashed. Staff morale has never been lower.

“We hope the minister will take a different approach,” says Bosancic. “And respond to the genuine concerns being expressed by patients, the public and health care workers about her government’s direction.”

Bosancic says the minister could start by supporting a call made by health care unions on Monday for an independent investigation of privatized hospital cleaning by the province’s auditor general.

HEU will ask for a meeting with the minister as soon as she has had an opportunity to settle in to her new portfolio.